Joined:
January 2018
Posts: 11
Location: Sunny Miami, Florida | Hi Gang,
Just as my screen name suggests, my name really is Dennis Miller. For your information, I had the name first and that guy who used to be on Monday Night Football stole my identity.
I'm originally from Louisville, Kentucky and grew up with a lot of country music influences based on the radio stations my parents listened to. My father advertised his car lots on those stations, so he always listened for his ads. I went to college at U of Louisville and like my generation, was then heavily influenced by the British invasion and subsequent artists of that time.
I'm 68, a retired religious institution executive director and a guitar player since my freshman year of college when I discovered it was too hard to take a Hammond B3 organ to a hootenanny. Actually, the way I got started playing guitar was because a garage band I was in wanted to do a Beatles medley where we switched instruments around. The guitar player taught me C and Em, all I needed for most of Eleanor Rigby, but I got hooked.
I have an embarrassing number of guitars, but I'm 99% into acoustics. I have Martins, Taylors, A Guild 12 string, a Cordoba Flamenco and my little Ovation CP2003. As great as some of those expensive guitars are, I've played and recorded most with my Ovation. I recently had carpel tunnel surgery on my left hand and as I've only been able to play again in the last week, the Ovation neck feels better to me than some of the chunkier necks.
I guess I've always been sort of an Ovation fan ever since I saw Glen Campbell play one years ago. He was one of my first guitar heroes. I like a lot of styles and players, but in recent times, I'd be happy to listen to Vince Gill all day.
My biggest musical thrill of late was over Thanksgiving when my 12 year old grandson came to me to ask if I could teach him to play guitar. Since he lives in North Carolina and I live in Miami, Florida, the best I could do was give him one of my guitars, an Ovation Celebrity CC model, and arrange a year of lessons for him with a local teacher who came recommended. He gets me on Skype every few days to show me what he's learned. Unfortunately, some of what he's learning are guitarist jokes. How many to screw in a lightbulb and all that.
Other than that, I'm married to my college sweetheart for 45 years now, a beautiful girl from Jamaica, where I lived for 6 years in the 70s. I still occasionally play some reggae, mostly novelty songs by a friend, Pluto Shervington. Check him out of YouTube...
One of the other big loves of my life is a little fuzzy white dog who absolutely has me wrapped around his paw. Hogan, (named after the golfer), is a rescue who turned out to be a pure bred Bichon Frise. Since getting him and learning about Bichons, we've become totally infatuated with the breed. He's my constant companion and guitar playing audience. He never even says a word when I play badly. THAT'S a true friend.
I'm also an avid golfer for over 60 years and still love to play as much as possible.
Anyway, enough... If you are ever around the Miami area, let me know. We have a pretty good acoustic guitar bunch here from the Acoustic Guitar Forum. i could arrange a get together if you give me enough time. |
An Introduction
